Latest news with #Billboard200
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
How 'KPop Demon Hunters' became the surprise hit of the summer
NEW YORK -- In the colorful, animated, musical world of 'KPop Demon Hunters,' everyone is a fan. The general public rocks T-shirts supporting their favorite idols. They hold light sticks and stare starry-eyed at stadium stages; they scream, they cry, they cheer, they buy the merch. It shouldn't come as much of a surprise, then, that the Sony Pictures/ Netflix film itself has inspired similar fanfare, having topped the streamer's global rankings. Fans have flooded the internet with art, covers, cosplay and choreography in response to the movie, which follows the fictional K-pop girl group HUNTR/X as they fight demons. And it's not just the film that's a summer hit. The 'KPop Demon Hunters' soundtrack has topped the charts — debuting at No. 1 on Billboard's Soundtracks chart and No. 8 on the all-genre Billboard 200. Here's how 'KPop Demon Hunters' became the year's surprising success story. The 'KPop Demon Hunters' soundtrack utilizes some of the best and brightest in the genre. That included a partnership with K-pop company The Black Label, co-founded by super producer Teddy Park, known for his work with YG, Blackpink and 2NE1 — empowered girl groups used as references for the film's protagonists, the trio HUNTR/X. It's one of the many reasons the musical film's soundtrack stands on its own. Filmmakers 'really did their homework,' says Jeff Benjamin, a music journalist who specializes in K-pop. Indeed, they did a lot of research. One of the film's directors, Maggie Kang, said that her team prioritized 'representing the fandom and the idols in a very specific way,' as to not disappoint K-pop fans. They pulled from a treasure trove of influences heard at every corner: The fictional, rival boy band Saja Boys' hit song 'Soda Pop,' for example, references the '90s K-pop group H.O.T. And it has worked. 'KPop Demon Hunters' is the highest charting soundtrack of 2025, with eight of its songs landing on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at No. 2 on the all-genre Billboard 200. To put that in perspective: Lorde's 'Virgin' and Justin Bieber's 'Swag' did the same. In some ways, it recalls Disney's 'Encanto,' which topped the Billboard 200 and produced a No. 1 hit, 'We Don't Talk About Bruno ' in 2022. Similarly, 'KPop Demon Hunters' embraces 'the original soundtrack, which is a lost art form,' adds Benjamin. Tamar Herman, a music journalist and author of the 'Notes on K-pop' newsletter, says the movie succeeds because it embraces animated musical tradition and authentic K-pop music production styles in equal measure. She considers 'Kpop Demon Hunters' to be 'a musical with songs inspired by K-pop,' not unlike a Jukebox musical, where the songs of ABBA are reimagined for 'Mamma Mia.' The novelty of the film, too, seems to be resonating. Where many animated films rely on adapting existing intellectual property, 'KPop Demon Hunters' is original. And it comes from an original perspective. 'It's not completely Korean, it's not completely Western and it's kind of right in that middle,' says Kang. 'It's like not pulled from one side; it's kind of flavors of both. So, I think that's what makes the movie feels a little different.' And 'the core story is what's drawing everybody in,' says Kang. San Francisco-based cosplayer and content creator Nanci Alcántar, who goes by Naanny Lee online agrees. 'It's not only a K-pop group, but it also tells a story of their journey, of how they transform into powerful warriors,' said Alcántar in Spanish. For her, it goes beyond K-pop — it's about the narrative. Kang's approach to cultural authenticity, too, may have contributed to the film's crossover appeal. Rather than explaining Korean elements like HUNTR/X's visit to a traditional medicine clinic or translating K-pop light stick culture for Western audiences, she opted for full immersion. 'We just wanted everybody to just accept that they were in Korea,' Kang said. The director said this method of 'throwing people into the deep end of a culture' breaks down barriers better than heavy-handed explanation. 'We just wanted to keep everything feeling normal,' she explained. 'If you don't shine a light on it, it just becomes more easily accepted.' Zabrinah Santiago, a San Diego-based longtime K-pop fan and freelance illustrator who goes by ItmeZ online, was so inspired by the animation style of the movie that she raced to make fan art. She sold illustrated fan cards of HUNTR/X and Saja Boys at her booth at the Los Angeles Anime Expo, held in July, two weeks after the movie was released on Netflix. And she wasn't the only one. A search of #kpopdemonhunters on Instagram yields thousands of fan illustrations of HUNTR/X and Saja Boys. Japan-based Youtuber Emily Sim, also known as Emirichu online, says the character designs and original plot drew her to the movie. Sim, with more than 3.5 million subscribers on YouTube, posted a 35-minute video about the movie. In a week-and-a-half, it garnered nearly 450,000 views. 'I love seeing all the fan art and just the ways that this movie has creatively inspired people,' Sim said. Kang says for 'KPop Demon Hunters,' her team wanted to bring together demons and Jeoseung Saja — the grim reaper in Korean mythology — for a film that could look both very traditional and modernized — what she says is common in K-dramas but not in animation. Herman compares the movie to another Sony animation: 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,' which also attracted a broad audience with its creative animation. 'And it's a fun, animated musical, which we haven't had in a while,' she says. 'It's campy, it's engaging, it's universal.' Santiago was initially skeptical of the title 'KPop Demon Hunters.' 'I feel like with big companies they kind of like to use K-pop as a bait. They kind of like to take advantage of K-pop fans' sincerity,' said Santiago. 'But I felt like with this one, it was such like kind of a love letter to K-pop fans.' Indeed — if the film wasn't authentic to K-pop fans' experience, or mocked them, it is unlikely to have become so popular, says Benjamin. Instead, there are Easter eggs for the dedicated K-pop listener. Herman agrees, and says that the film has in-jokes for K-pop fans, not unlike a children's movie that features some humor meant to appeal specifically to parents. 'Figuring out what makes K-pop tick in a way that resonates with musical fans was really important to this movie,' said Herman. For Kang, that was always at the heart of the project. 'Fandom plays a huge part in the world being saved at the end of the movie,' she said. 'So, we were really confident that we were doing that justice.'
Forbes
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Alex Warren Rockets Into The Top 10 With An Unusual Strategy
Alex Warren expands You'll Be Alright, Kid into a full-length, sending the set into the top 10 on ... More four Billboard charts, including the Billboard 200. TONSBERG, NORWAY - JULY 10: Alex Warren performs on stage during Slottsfjell festival at Slottsfjellet on July 10, 2025 in Tonsberg, Norway. (Photo by Anne-Marie Forker/Redferns) Alex Warren employed an interesting strategy when it came to releasing his debut album. Instead of dropping a brand new, full-length effort completely separate from his You'll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter One) EP, he chose to expand upon that shorter project. In doing so, he rockets up several Billboard rankings and earns his first placements within the top 10 across multiple charts at once. The full-length You'll Be Alright, Kid has now spent months on the most important albums roster in America, and it's bigger than ever. You'll Be Alright, Kid's Big Singles The 21-track album includes all 10 songs from You'll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter One) as well as additional cuts like "Eternity," "Bloodline" with Jelly Roll, "On My Mind" with Rosé, and of course, "Ordinary." The incredible popularity of that track — which leads the Hot 100 again this week — is largely responsible for the success of You'll Be Alright, Kid, which pushes Warren into the highest reaches of the biggest charts in the American music industry. Alex Warren Bolts Into the Top 10 Warren shoots from No. 19 to No. 5 on the Billboard 200 as You'll Be Alright, Kid changes from an EP to a proper album. The project also enters the top tier of the Top Streaming Albums list for the first time, jumping from No. 15 to No. 5. Alex Warren's Album Debuts Inside the Top 10 As You'll Be Alright, Kid rockets up those Billboard tallies, it also debuts inside the top 10 on two more rosters. Warren's first full-length arrives at No. 5 on the Vinyl Albums list and No. 7 on the Top Album Sales chart. Months on the Charts Already You'll Be Alright, Kid is brand new to both the general sales tally and the vinyl chart, but it has lived for months on the other two rankings, where it now bolts into the loftiest tier. Warren's project has spent 18 weeks on the Top Streaming Albums list and 35 on the Billboard 200. Billboard groups the two efforts into one for charting purposes. The original EP, You'll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter One), peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard 200, just shy of the top 10, before being re-released and expanded.
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Justin Bieber says he ‘can be extremely selfish and impatient' amidst rumours of marriage struggles with Hailey Bieber
Canadian singer-songwriter Justin Bieber offered an honest glimpse into his mindset with a spiritual and self-aware message on social media. 'Thanking Jesus for his patience with me this morning. I can be extremely selfish and impatient yet Jesus always has his arms open toward me,' the singer wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday. Justin Bieber(AFP) Alongside photos of himself smiling while on a peaceful hike in the woods, the 31-year-old added, 'Let's have a good day, let's go outside. Get in nature.' The update follows the release of his surprise album Swag, which came out earlier this month. The 21-track, R&B-infused project marked his return to music after a four-year hiatus and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200—giving him the biggest streaming week of his career. His wife, Hailey Bieber, has been by his side throughout the album's rollout. She appeared with him on promotional billboards, joined him at a listening party where the couple shared a passionate kiss, and supported the release with a bold Instagram Story: 'Is it finally clocking to you f*****g losers?' Justin and Hailey also share their son, Jack Blues, who is 11 months old. Earlier this year, Justin opened up about long-standing feelings of self-doubt. 'I personally have always felt unworthy, like I was a fraud. Like when people told me I deserve something, it made me feel sneaky like, 'Damn, if they only knew my thoughts, how judgmental I am, how selfish I really am. They wouldn't be saying this," ,' he wrote in March via Instagram story. 'I say all this to say, if you feel sneaky welcome to the club. I definitely feel unequipped and unqualified most days,' he added. In another post in June, he further opened up about his emotional struggles. 'Jesus is the only person who keeps me wanting to make my life about others,' he wrote, adding that he was feeling 'broken' and grappling with 'anger issues.'
NDTV
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
How KPop Demon Hunters Become The Surprise Hit Of The Summer
New Delhi: In the colourful, animated, musical world of KPop Demon Hunters, everyone is a fan. The general public rocks T-shirts supporting their favourite idols. They hold light sticks and stare starry-eyed at stadium stages; they scream, they cry, they cheer, they buy the merch. It shouldn't come as much of a surprise, then, that the Sony Pictures or Netflix film itself has inspired similar fanfare, having topped the streamer's global rankings. Fans have flooded the Internet with art, covers, cosplay and choreography in response to the movie, which follows the fictional K-pop girl group HUNTR/X as they fight demons. And it's not just the film that's a summer hit. The KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack has topped the charts — debuting at No 1 on Billboard's Soundtracks chart and No 8 on the all-genre Billboard 200. Here's how KPop Demon Hunters became the year's surprising success story. The KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack utilizes some of the best and brightest in the genre. That included a partnership with K-pop company The Black Label, co-founded by super producer Teddy Park, known for his work with YG, Blackpink and 2NE1 — empowered girl groups used as references for the film's protagonists, the trio HUNTR/X. It's one of the many reasons the musical film's soundtrack stands on its own. Filmmakers 'really did their homework,' says Jeff Benjamin, a music journalist who specializes in K-pop. Indeed, they did a lot of research. One of the film's directors, Maggie Kang, said that her team prioritized 'representing the fandom and the idols in a very specific way,' as to not disappoint K-pop fans. They pulled from a treasure trove of influences heard at every corner. The fictional, rival boy band Saja Boys' hit song Soda Pop, for example, references the '90s K-pop group H.O.T. KPop Demon Hunters is the highest charting soundtrack of 2025, with eight of its songs landing on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at No 2 on the all-genre Billboard 200. To put that in perspective, Lorde's Virgin and Justin Bieber's Swag did the same. In some ways, it recalls Disney's Encanto, which topped the Billboard 200 and produced a No 1 hit, We Don't Talk About Bruno in 2022. Similarly, KPop Demon Hunters embraces 'the original soundtrack, which is a lost art form,' adds Benjamin. Tamar Herman, a music journalist and author of the Notes on K-pop newsletter, says the movie succeeds because it embraces animated musical tradition and authentic K-pop music production styles in equal measure. She considers KPop Demon Hunters to be 'a musical with songs inspired by K-pop,' not unlike a Jukebox musical, where the songs of ABBA are reimagined for Mamma Mia. The novelty of the film, too, seems to be resonating. Where many animated films rely on adapting existing intellectual property, KPop Demon Hunters is original. And it comes from an original perspective. 'It's not completely Korean, it's not completely Western and it's kind of right in that middle. It's like not pulled from one side; it's kind of flavors of both. So, I think that's what makes the movie feels a little different," says Kang. San Francisco-based cosplayer and content creator Nanci Alcántar, who goes by Naanny Lee online agrees. 'It's not only a K-pop group, but it also tells a story of their journey, of how they transform into powerful warriors,' said Alcántar in Spanish. Kang's approach to cultural authenticity, too, may have contributed to the film's crossover appeal. Rather than explaining Korean elements like HUNTR/X's visit to a traditional medicine clinic or translating K-pop light stick culture for Western audiences, she opted for full immersion. 'We just wanted everybody to just accept that they were in Korea,' Kang said. The director said this method of 'throwing people into the deep end of a culture' breaks down barriers better than heavy-handed explanation. 'We just wanted to keep everything feeling normal. If you don't shine a light on it, it just becomes more easily accepted," she explained. Zabrinah Santiago, a San Diego-based longtime K-pop fan and freelance illustrator who goes by ItmeZ online, was so inspired by the animation style of the movie that she raced to make fan art. She sold illustrated fan cards of HUNTR/X and Saja Boys at her booth at the Los Angeles Anime Expo, held in July, two weeks after the movie was released on Netflix. And she wasn't the only one. A search of #kpopdemonhunters on Instagram yields thousands of fan illustrations of HUNTR/X and Saja Boys. Japan-based Youtuber Emily Sim, also known as Emirichu online, says the character designs and original plot drew her to the movie. Sim, with more than 3.5 million subscribers on YouTube, posted a 35-minute video about the movie. In a week-and-a-half, it garnered nearly 450,000 views. 'I love seeing all the fan art and just the ways that this movie has creatively inspired people,' Sim said. Kang says for KPop Demon Hunters, her team wanted to bring together demons and Jeoseung Saja — the grim reaper in Korean mythology — for a film that could look both very traditional and modernized — what she says is common in K-dramas but not in animation. Herman compares the movie to another Sony animation, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which also attracted a broad audience with its creative animation. 'And it's a fun, animated musical, which we haven't had in a while. It's campy, it's engaging, it's universal," she said. Santiago was initially skeptical of the title KPop Demon Hunters. 'I feel like with big companies they kind of like to use K-pop as a bait. They kind of like to take advantage of K-pop fans' sincerity. But I felt like with this one, it was such like kind of a love letter to K-pop fans," said Santiago. Indeed — if the film wasn't authentic to K-pop fans' experience, or mocked them, it is unlikely to have become so popular, says Benjamin. Instead, there are Easter eggs for the dedicated K-pop listener. Herman agrees, and says that the film has in-jokes for K-pop fans, not unlike a children's movie that features some humor meant to appeal specifically to parents. 'Figuring out what makes K-pop tick in a way that resonates with musical fans was really important to this movie,' said Herman. For Kang, that was always at the heart of the project. 'Fandom plays a huge part in the world being saved at the end of the movie. So, we were really confident that we were doing that justice," she said.
Forbes
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Ozzy Osbourne Posthumously Reaches A Special Milestone
Ozzy Osbourne's The Essential Ozzy Osbourne jumps from No. 134 to No. 7 on the Billboard 200 after ... More his death, and he posthumously earns his tenth top 10 solo album. Singer Ozzy Osborne stripped off in his swimming pool in Beverly Hills, California in June 1987. Ozzy smokes his cigar while giving the victory sign.(Photo by). Ozzy Osbourne's name is plastered across the Billboard rankings this week as the latest tallies reflect the massive surge in consumption of the legendary rock musician's catalog that occurred in the days following his death. The late superstar soars on multiple rosters and debuts with songs and full-lengths across a range of rosters, both as a soloist and with Black Sabbath. One of Osbourne's most impressive posthumous accomplishments comes on the Billboard 200, the company's most competitive albums ranking, where he earns a brand new smash. The Essential Ozzy Osbourne Rockets Into the Top 10 The Essential Ozzy Osbourne vaults from No. 134 to No. 7 on the Billboard 200 this week. That placement not only marks a new peak for the compilation, but also gives Osbourne another coveted top 10 win, and his first posthumous placement inside that region. Tenth Career Top 10 on the Billboard 200 The pioneering rocker reaches the highest tier on the Billboard 200 for the tenth time as a soloist. Osbourne saw three collections — Patient Number 9, Ordinary Man, and Black Rain — all peak at No. 3, which stands as his highest placement on his own. Black Sabbath Also Enjoyed Limited Top 10 Success Osbourne also reached the top 10 on the Billboard 200 as a member of Black Sabbath, but surprisingly, only twice. 13 earned the band's first No. 1 a little over a decade ago, while Master of Reality peaked at No. 8 back in the early 1970s. Two other collections, Reunion and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, missed the uppermost region by just one space each. Consumption Surged More Than 300% Consumption of The Essential Ozzy Osbourne exploded following the rocker's death, as it was the title that most fans turned to. The week before his passing, Luminate reported that the compilation moved 10,600 equivalent units. The following frame, it racked up 43,500 units — a growth of more than 300% from one stint to the next. Ozzy Osbourne's First Streaming Win The Essential Ozzy Osbourne is the soloist's only appearance on the Billboard 200 this frame, and Black Sabbath also claims just one win. The solo compilation reaches a new peak on nearly every tally on which it appears in the U.S., and it even manages to debut inside the top 10 on the Top Streaming Albums ranking in a special first for Osbourne.
